boom by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb

Apocalyptic Attraction "From pants-around-the-ankles comedy to hipster Twilight Zone takeoff…boom is imaginative and easy to like." — The New Yorker

22nd December 2011, Kuala Lumpur - The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre is excited to present boom, a zany, warped and ultimately hopeful look at the apocalypse that follows a young marine biologist as he prepares for the imminent end of the world. The Asian premiere of boom, directed by David Lim, will open in Pentas 2 @ The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, 17th to 26th February, 2012.

Jules, a male marine biologist and Jo, a female journalism student, meet in a subterranean biology lab for an erotic casual encounter. However, there's nothing casual whatsoever about this particular evening.

Director of boom, David Lim exclaims, “I like fun plays. And boom is not only fun but it literally blew my mind when I read it. I'd never read anything like it before. With cute characters, brilliant dialogue and a funny story, these ingredients alone would suffice, but underneath the play lies a novel exploration of the big issues — of what's fundamental to us collectively as human beings — our lives and deaths, and our shared destiny.”

The comedy is set in an underground laboratory on a university campus where Jules has been studying the sleeping patterns of his fish in an effort to determine when the world will end, which he predicts will happen that very evening. Jo shows up that evening having answered Jule’s Craigslist personal ad for a casual encounter that promises "sex to change the course of the world." This attempt to find a partner with whom Jules can repopulate the world is complicated by the fact that he's a geek and Jo hates babies. Soon, things take a turn as food is running out, and his marine biology lab turned apocalypse shelter is damaged beyond repair. And what's the deal with that woman Barbara in the corner pulling levers?

boom was premiered at Arts Nova in New York City in March of 2008 and was directed by Alex Timbers. Subsequent productions included Wooly Mammoth Theatre in Washington DC, Seattle Repertory in Seattle, WA, and Cleveland Public Theatre in Cleveland, OH, all occurring in November of 2008.

The playwright, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, an actor and writer, is a resident of San Francisco's Mission District. He graduated with a double major in Biology and theatre from Brown University where his spark for playwrighting began. He then earned an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State. Peter also enjoys acting, working with independent films, and searching for other Nachtrieb’s online.

boom will be directed by David Lim and features rising theatre actors Jon Chew (Jules), Sharon Lam (Jo) and BB Ostella Adams (Barbara).

Tickets are priced at RM35 (Adults) RM23 (Students, Disabled, UNHCR Card and TAS Card Members). To purchase call 40479000/ 21422009 or just walk in to The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre or buy online at http://www.ilassotickets.com/ .



SYNOPSIS
"Sex to change the course of the world"- A grad student’s online personal ad lures a
mysterious journalism student to his subterranean research lab under the pretense of an evening of ―no strings attached‖ sex. But when a major global catastrophic event strikes the planet, their date takes on evolutionary significance and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Will they survive? How about the fish in the tank? And who is that woman pulling levers in the corner? An epic and intimate comedy that spans over billions of years, boom explores the influences of fate versus randomness in the course of one’s life, and life as we know it on the planet.

PRODUCTION DETAILS
DATE & TIME: 17, 18, 21-25 February @ 8.30pm,
19, 26 February @ 3pm
VENUE : Pentas 2, The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac)
TICKET PRICE: RM35 (Adults)
RM23 (Students, Disabled, UNHCR card holders, TAS cardholders)
RM23 (Preview night 17th)
BOX OFFICE
Call or Walk-in: klpac @ Sentul Park (+603-40479000)
: The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 (+603-21422009 / 21432009)
in Walk-in Only : ILasso Tickets @ A606 Block A, Phileo Damansara II, PJ +603-79576088
Online ticket : http://www.ilassotickets.com
Website : http://www.klpac.org/endoftheworld/
Video : click here
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/events/200071136755901/

PRESS QUOTES

"Mr. Nachtrieb has a gift for darkly funny dialogue and an appealing way of approaching big themes sideways. [boom] winds up speaking, quietly and piquantly, to our enduring fascination with and need for myths about the beginning of life as well as its end." — New York Times

"A grandly whacked-out apocalypse fantasy…one of those charmed evenings." — Washington Post

"A fantastically wild ride. Nachtrieb possesses a sharp wit and has crafted an imaginative piece of social satire, tempering any urge he may have to wow us with his facile use of language and delivering a clever play that’s both experimental and entertaining. — Backstage "It's literate, coarse, thoughtful, sweet, scabrously inappropriate, wracked by existential anxiety, and wonderfully humane…this is one end-of-the-world story that's likely to leave you grinning from ear to ear." — Washington City Paper


THE CAST
JON CHEW (JULES) Jon was trained under the famed Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art (in collaboration with Astro). Since then, he has acted in EMP's Stage Therapy, participated in the 2009 Short+Sweet Theatre Malaysia festival - where he won Best New Actor (Male) - and starred in Cock, Birdy, the musical The Last Five Years, and Klue, Doh! He is also the associate editor for Esquire Malaysia.

SHARON LAM (JO) Sharon Lam started her life in the theatre in 2008 with Joe Hasham's Acting For Beginner's class. She went on to become an ensemble member of the inaugural Theatre For Young People 2008 programme, acting in productions like Ten: Theatrical Lightning Strikes Human Relationships and What Does It Mean... To Be Malaysian?. She also got involved in Short+Sweet Theatre Malaysia beginning 2008 in which she was awarded Best Actress Runner Up for her performance in Love and Light. She has been seen in productions such as The Secret Love Life of Ophelia, Rancangan Hari Jadi Terhebat Adli and The Real Inspector Hound and The Drive.

BB OSTELLA ADAM (BARBARA) Since joining The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, BB Ostella has taken part in productions such as Music from Movies & Musicals 2 and In The Mood, as well as Turandot, The Merry Widow, and Sparks of Broadway (2010) as singer and dancer. She has also acted in productions such as Stage Therapy, Echo for The Platform @ KLPac, Cupidity for Short+Sweet Musical Theatre 2010, and Dancing at Lughnasa (2011). Her recent writing works include Don’t Stop Believin’ for Short+Sweet Theatre 2010 and Life Decisions for Baca: Of Love and Death, which has also been selected for performance at Short+Sweet Theatre Malaysia 2011. BB Ostella has taught and choreographed dances for various productions and shows such as The Poet & The Rent at KLPac (2010), EMP’s Bars & Bedrooms (May 2011), Dancing at Lughnasa (2011), as well as Nunuk Ragang (2009) and Parts of Infinity:XX.Love (2010) for the Short+Sweet Dance Festival, and choreographing for actress Didie Alias and husband Sham for Astro Ria’s dance reality show Sehati Berdansa in 2009. She was last seen onstage in Malaysian Girls (December 2011 & January 2012).


CREATIVE TEAM PETER SINN NACHTRIEB (PLAYWRIGHT)

Peter Sinn Nachtrieb is a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include boom (TCG's most-produced play 2009-10), T.I.C. (Trenchcoat In Common), Hunter Gatherers (2007 ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award, 2007 Will Glickman Prize), Colorado, and Multiplex. His work has been seen Off-Broadway and at theaters across the U.S. including at Ars Nova, SPF, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Public Theatre, Brown/Trinity Playwrights Rep, Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre, Dad's Garage, and in the Bay Area at Encore Theatre, Killing My Lobster, Marin Theatre Company, Impact Theatre, and The Bay Area Playwrights Festival. He is under commission from South Coast Repertory and American Conservatory Theater, and is a Resident Playwright at the Playwrights Foundation, San Francisco. He holds a degree in Theater and Biology from Brown and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

DAVID LIM (DIRECTOR) David Lim has worked in various capacities with theatre companies such as klpac, The Actors Studio Malaysia, PJLA, Dramalab, Gardner and Wife, and The Annexe Gallery. Directing credits include God of Carnage (PJLA), Cock (klpac), Dancing at Lughnasa (The Actors Studio Malaysia), Alfian Sa’at’s Family Outing (The Annexe Gallery), This Cannot, That Cannot (klpac), Toast! (AROMA and Dramalab), Gadis Jalan Burmah (Dramalab), Sightings and High Tide (Victorian Theatre Company) and Butterflies are Free (The Actors Studio Malaysia).

YUSMAN MOKHTAR (SCENIC DESIGN) Yusman Mokhtar started in theatre in 2001 and has since done work both onstage and offstage. His main interests lie in scenography and directing. Design credits include Butterflies Are Free (TAS), Kisah Gadis (TAS), The Drive (TAS), Coffee & Toast (AROMA), Opera Cina Si Yatim Chao (ASWARA), Jalan Mati (klpac), What Does It Mean… To Be Malaysian? (klpac), Kaki Blue The Musical (klpac), Tanda (RAT), Short Eyes (RAT), Teater Kompilasi Vol. 1 and Teater Kompilasi Vol . 2 (RAT), Main Dalam Stor (Playground) and Muzikal Uda dan Dara at Istana Budaya. He is one of the founding members of Rumah Anak Teater and was part of its directing team for Tanda.

FREDDY TAN (PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT) Freddy Tan first started in theatre when he stage managed for INDICINELIVE! 1 (April 2010). Since then, he has worked both on-stage (performing) and off-stage (i.e., stage/production management, lighting, design, etc). If you think he looks familiar, you’ve probably crossed paths with him in productions such as the INDICINELIVE! series, After Juliet, IONESCO X2: The Chairs & The Lesson, Octopus (as lighting apprentice), SHORT+SWEET Malaysia Musical & Theatre (2010 & 2011), CARTOON by Steve Yockey, and Malaysian Girls. He is currently the resident production manager at klpac.

ARMANZAKI AMIROLZAKRI (STAGE MANAGER) Armanzaki has been freelancing about in all technical aspects of the stage for a year now, since he graduated from SEGi College Subang Jaya with a Diploma in Performing Arts. His recent projects include Klue Doh! and The Secret Life of Nora. He was also the Lighting Designer for Madu II staged at The Actor’s Studio @ Lot 10 early 2011.

About The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac)
Opened in May 2005, klpac is Malaysia’s only fully-integrated performing arts centre. A non-profit organisation, it aims to nurture and develop the performing arts in Malaysia. Since opening, it has housed close to 400 performances, film screenings, art exhibitions and events. The klpac Academy conducts a wide range of courses and runs a crucial community outreach programme. Other educational initiatives include the klpac Orchestra, a Theatre for Young People (T4YP) programme, an Artist in-Residence programme as well as an annual bursary called Datin Paduka Seri Endon Award for Performing Arts Excellence. klpac is the result of a partnership between The Actors Studio, YTL Corporation and Yayasan Budi Penyayang. Its sponsors for 2009 to 2011 period include HSBC in the Arts, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, JT International Berhad and Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Malaysia. For more information, please visit www.klpac.org.